Finalists were just announced for the 2014 Prêmio São Paulo de Literatura, the award's seventh edition. Ten writers are in the running for Best Novel, with a sweet BRL 200,000 prize. The São Paulo prize famously awards debut novelists, and this year seven are competing for a cool BRL 100,000 prize in the over 40 category, and three under 40. All had to be published for the first time in 2013.

Here's the complete list:

Best Novel of 2013

Adriana Lisboa - Hanói

Alberto Martins - Lívia e o cemitério africano

Ana Luisa Escorel - Anel de vidro

Bernardo Carvalho – Reprodução

Carlos de Brito e Mello - A cidade, o inquisidor e os ordinários

Joca Reiners Terron - A tristeza extraordinária do leopardo-das-neves

Marco Lucchesi - O bibliotecário do imperador

Michel Laub - A maçã envenenada

Rodrigo Lacerda - Carlos Lacerda - A República das abelhas

Sérgio Rodrigues - O Drible

Best Novel by a Debut Author (Over 40)

Amilcar Bettega - Barreira

Cadão Volpato - Pessoas que passam pelos sonhos

Marcelino Freire - Nossos ossos

Flavio Cafiero - O frio aqui fora

João Anzanello Carrascoza - Aos 7 e aos 40

Rogerio Pereira - Na Escuridão, amanhã

Verônica Stigger - Opisanie Swiata

Best Novel by a Debut Author (Under 40)

Ieda Magri - Olhos de bicho

Laura Erber - Esquilos de Pavlov

Marcos Peres - O evangelho segundo Hitler

Don't let the name fool you – writers from any state (or country, actually) can enter the competition, as long as the book was written in Portuguese and published first in Brazil. Out of the finalists, seven writers hail from the state of Rio de Janeiro, followed by three from São Paulo, three from Brazil's third point on the literary triangle, Rio Grande do Sul, three from its fellow southern neighbor, Santa Catarina, two from Minas Gerais, one from northeastern Pernambuco and one from Mato Grasso do Sul.

Big-hitting publisher Companhia das Letras published a total of seven of the finalists. Cosac Naify, publisher of Brazil's prettiest books, in my opinion (some of their cover design eye candy inserted above), has five names on the shortlist.

I'm not aware of any of these books being translated to English currently, but some have been translated into other languages, and several authors have had other works translated to English. In other words, pay attention English-language publishers, and snatch those rights up while you can!